Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages

The minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages (French: ministre de l’Emploi, du Développement de la main-d’œuvre et des Langues officielles) is the minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for Employment and Social Development Canada, the Government of Canada department that oversees programs such as employment insurance, the Canada pension plan, old age security, and Canada student loans.

Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages
ministre de l’Emploi, du Développement de la main-d’œuvre et des Langues officielles
Incumbent
Randy Boissonnault
since July 26, 2023
Employment and Social Development Canada
StyleThe Honourable
Member of
Reports to
AppointerMonarch (represented by the governor general);[3]
on the advice of the prime minister[4]
Term lengthAt His Majesty's pleasure
Inaugural holderCarla Qualtrough
FormationNovember 20, 2019
SalaryCA$269,800 (2019)[5]
Websiteesdc-edsc.gc.ca

History

The ministerial responsibility for employment has its origins in the October 1, 1966 cabinet reshuffle, when Jean Marchand's portfolio was renamed from Minister of Immigration and Citizenship to Minister of Manpower and Immigration, Along with this change, minister Marchand was tasked by Prime Minister Lester Pearson to draft a White paper to renew Canada's immigration policy. Pearson wanted to removed all discriminatory clauses remaining in Canada's immigration regulations, and instead facilitate the immigration of qualified workers from Asia.[6]

The following year, Canada introduced its first point system to rank potential immigrants for eligibility. It originally consisted of 9 categories: education, occupation, professional skills, age, arranged employment, knowledge of English and/or French, relatives in Canada and "personal characteristics". To qualify for immigration 50 points out of 100 were necessary in 1967.[7]

In 1977, the portfolio was renamed Minister of Employment and Immigration, a move that reflected the importance of attracting and retaining economic immigrants for Canadian governments in the 1980s and 1990s.[8]

On 12 July 1996, the office of the Minister of Employment and Immigration was abolished and replaced with the office of Minister of Human Resources Development. The portfolio for immigration was transferred to the office of Minister of Citizenship and Immigration following the reorganization of the government and formation of the department for Citizenship and Immigration Canada.[9][10][11]

On February 6, 2006, Prime Minister Stephen Harper transferred the responsibilities of the Minister of Social Development into this portfolio. Although the legislated names did not change, in accordance with this amalgamation the Minister was for a while styled the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development and the department operated as Human Resources and Social Development Canada. This ceased on October 30, 2008, and the name returned to the legislated one.

In 2015, the Employment portfolio was merged into the expanded ministry of Employment, Workforce, and Labour.[12]

In 2019, following the 2019 Canadian federal election, the portfolio was split between the Minister of Labour and Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, with Carla Qualtrough being appointed the new minister on November 20.[13]

In 2023, the Official Languages portfolio was merged into the expanded ministry of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, with Randy Boissonnault being appointed the new minister on July 26, 2023.[14]

List of ministers

No. Portrait Name Term of office Political party Ministry
Minister of Manpower and Immigration
1 Jean Marchand October 1, 1966 April 20, 1968 Liberal 19 (Pearson)
April 20, 1968 July 5, 1968 20 (P. E. Trudeau)
2 Allan MacEachen July 5, 1968 September 23, 1970
3 Otto Lang September 24, 1970 January 27, 1972
4 Bryce Mackasey January 28, 1972 November 26, 1972
5 Bob Andras November 27, 1972 September 13, 1976
6 Bud Cullen September 14, 1976 August 14, 1977
Minister of Employment and Immigration
(6) Bud Cullen August 15, 1977 June 3, 1979 Liberal 20 (P. E. Trudeau)
7 Ron Atkey June 4, 1979 March 2, 1980 Progressive Conservative 21 (Clark)
8 Lloyd Axworthy March 3, 1980 August 11, 1983 Liberal 22 (P. E. Trudeau)
9 John Roberts August 12, 1983 June 29, 1984
June 30, 1984 September 16, 1984 23 (Turner)
10 Flora MacDonald September 17, 1984 June 29, 1986 Progressive Conservative 24 (Mulroney)
11 Benoît Bouchard June 30, 1986 March 30, 1988
12 Barbara McDougall March 31, 1988 April 20, 1991
13 Bernard Valcourt April 21, 1991 June 24, 1993
June 25, 1993 November 3, 1993 25 (Campbell)
(8) Lloyd Axworthy (second time) November 4, 1993 January 24, 1996 Liberal 26 (Chrétien)
14 Doug Young January 25, 1996 July 11, 1996
Minister of Human Resources Development
(14) Doug Young July 12, 1996 October 3, 1996 Liberal 26 (Chrétien)
15 Pierre Pettigrew October 4, 1996 August 2, 1999
16 Jane Stewart August 3, 1999 December 11, 2003
Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development
17 Joe Volpe December 12, 2003 January 14, 2005 Liberal 27 (Martin)
18 Lucienne Robillard January 14, 2005 May 17, 2005 Liberal
19 Belinda Stronach May 17, 2005 February 5, 2006 Liberal
Minister of Human Resources and Social Development
20 Diane Finley February 6, 2006 January 3, 2007 Conservative 28 (Harper)
21 Monte Solberg January 4, 2007 October 29, 2008 Conservative
Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development
(20) Diane Finley October 30, 2008 July 15, 2013 Conservative 28 (Harper)
Minister of Employment and Social Development
22 Jason Kenney July 15, 2013 February 9, 2015 Conservative 28 (Harper)
23 Pierre Poilievre February 9, 2015 November 4, 2015 Conservative
Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour
24 MaryAnn Mihychuk November 4, 2015January 10, 2017 Liberal 29 (J. Trudeau)
25 Patty Hajdu[15] January 10, 2017November 20, 2019 Liberal
Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion
26 Carla Qualtrough November 20, 2019 July 26, 2023 Liberal 29 (J. Trudeau)
Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages
27 Randy Boissonnault July 26, 2023 Incumbent Liberal 29 (J. Trudeau)

Notes

  1. "The Canadian Parliamentary system - Our Procedure - House of Commons". www.ourcommons.ca. Retrieved 2020-04-20.
  2. "Review of the Responsibilities and Accountabilities of Ministers and Senior Officials" (PDF).
  3. "Constitutional Duties". The Governor General of Canada. Retrieved 2020-04-20.
  4. "House of Commons Procedure and Practice - 1. Parliamentary Institutions - Canadian Parliamentary Institutions". www.ourcommons.ca. Retrieved 2020-04-20.
  5. "Indemnities, Salaries and Allowances". Library of Parliament. April 11, 2018. Archived from the original on June 1, 2017. Retrieved September 21, 2017.
  6. "Ottawa fera un meilleur accueil aux immigrants japonais et philippins". La Presse. Reuters. September 20, 1966. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
  7. Gogia, N., and Slade, B. (2011), About Canada: Immigration, Fernwood Pub, Halifax, NS
  8. "Immigration Policy in Canada | The Canadian Encyclopedia". www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca. Retrieved 2020-12-15.
  9. "Employment and Immigration (1977-08-15 - 1996-07-11)." ParlInfo. Ottawa: Library of Parliament. Retrieved 2020 October 30.
  10. "Order Transferring to the Department of Employment and Immigration...and Transferring to the Minister of Employment and Immigration...and Combining the Department of Employment and Immigration and the Department of Labour Under the Minister of Employment and Immigration."
  11. "Canada. Employment and Immigration Canada (Department)." Library of Congress.
  12. "Here are all 30 cabinet ministers at a glance".The Ottawa Citizen , November 11, 2015
  13. "Vancouver-area MPs Jonathan Wilkinson, Carla Qualtrough, Harjit Sajjan, and Joyce Murray back in Trudeau cabinet". The Georgia Straight. 2019-11-20. Retrieved 2019-11-21.
  14. "Prime Minister announces changes to the Ministry". Prime Minister of Canada. 26 July 2023. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  15. "Justin Trudeau adds fresh faces in cabinet shuffle". Maclean's, Joan Bryden, Jan 10, 2017

Further reading

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